The Spice in Your Routine
by marinefollese
Summary: Haruka Nanase was a single dad, and he was lonely. But one day he comes across another single father and finds that his once mundane life now has flavour.


"P-papa," Rei said in a shaky voice, at the door to his father's office, butterfly plushie in hand. His glasses were falling off his face, which was flushed and sweaty.

"C'mere," murmured Haru, gesturing to his lap. Rei hurriedly scrambled over to his father and climbed atop his lap, burying his face into the material of his father's sweater.

Wrapping his arms around his son, Haru asked, "What's wrong, Rei?"

"Nightmare." Rei mumbled into the material.

"Wanna talk about it?" Haru offered.

"In the nightmare, y-you said you didn't love m-me anymore, Papa. Then you left," Rei hiccupped, tears leaking out of his purple eyes.

"You know I'd never do that, Rei," Haru assured, wiping his son's tears with the cuff of his sweater.

"Wanna watch me finish up my design?" Haru asked, knowing one of Rei's favourite things to do was watch him work; he was an established graphic designer and Rei was enamoured with his designs, waxing poetic to anyone who would listen about how beautiful they were.

His son turned to face his father's laptop, where he was finishing up a design for a sports company.

"Papa, I think you should colour this part purple," Rei gestured to the large font occupying most of the space in the design.

"Okay," Haru replied, kissing the top of Rei's head.

The duo continued this for another half an hour before Haru decided to put Rei, who was nodding off in his lap, back to bed. Lifting his son up into his arms, he walked out of his office, into Rei's room and tucked him under the covers. He smoothed some of his hair away from his forehead, and placed a kiss on it before walking out of the room.

Turning the light off in his study, he headed into his own room, and slipped under the covers.

He sighed. This had been his routine for four years ever since he adopted Rei from the orphanage.

He was lonely and his life was too monotonous, so he added another member to his household. It had been the two of them against the world ever since he picked up his then two-year-old son. The cold, empty, dark feeling inside himself had reduced somewhat, but he was still very lonely.

He'd tried dating around here and there, but nothing too serious; he didn't want to overwhelm his son and he never felt anything strong for his partners.

Shutting his eyelids, he tried to fall asleep, only to be awoken by a thud coming from next door.

He was going to ignore it and go back to sleep, but after a rather girlish scream from his light-sleeper of a son, he decided to check it out.

He was going to get Rei from his room, but he found that the boy was already outside his room, waiting for his father.

"P-papa, what was that?" Rei asked timidly, meeting Haru's tired blue eyes.

"Probably something from next door. I'm gonna go check it out. Wanna come, Rei?" Haru asked, crouching to meet Rei's eyes. Rei nodded and hesitantly took the hand of his father, who in turn gave it a small squeeze.

Haru knocked on the door of the apartment across the hall from his- the source of the thud- and was greeted by no-on-

Oh, there was a tiny blond child who opened the door.

"Hello!" The boy greeted in a very chipper voice.

"Are your mommy or daddy here?" asked Haru, bending down to meet the bright magenta eyes of the blond boy.

He nodded, blond curls bouncing, "Just daddy. He's in the kitchen. Daddy!" He shrieked inside the house.

"Coming!" Haru heard a voice from inside the apartment.

A tall brunet made his way to the door, easily lifting the blond boy up onto his shoulders.

"Hello," the brunet greeted Haru and Rei with a million-watt smile, causing something to jump in Haru's chest.

"I'm Tachibana Makoto, and this is my son, Nagisa." He smiled again, warm like summer, and his green eyes- _woah they were so green _- danced happily as he looked from Haru to Rei.

"Nanase Haruka. This is my son, Rei." Haru added, stoic as ever.

"Ah! How rude of me. Please come in," Makoto gestured inside his apartment, where Haru could see a couch and coffee table. Accepting the invitation, Haru entered the apartment, still holding Rei's tiny hand.

"Would you like something to eat or drink? Actually it's better if you don't ask for anything to eat. I cannot cook to save my life- actually that's why you're probably here, right? I dropped my pan in the kitchen while trying to make pancakes for Nagisa, here," Makoto gestured to his son who was sitting in an adjacent armchair to the couch Rei and Haru were on, "but things got a little out of hand." He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, and Haru found this weirdly endearing, "but anyways, yeah. What can I get you to drink?"

"Barley tea is fine for both of us. Thank you." Haru responded, earning him another million-watt smile from Makoto, who went inside towards his kitchen.

Haru had never liked people who talked too much, but for some strange reason he liked hearing Makoto speak. His voice was warm and friendly, even though he met Haru and Rei five minutes ago, he didn't treat them like strangers.

Makoto came back with the drinks on a tray, handing Haru his barley tea, and Rei his in a Spongebob mug. Nagisa got a hot chocolate, or at least Haru thought it was hot chocolate, the way it was adorned with a huge swirl of whipped cream and marshmallows. Haru watched, as Makoto's hands wrapped around his own mug of hot chocolate- this one with no toppings.

Makoto seated himself in the armchair, Nagisa sitting in between his legs.

Nagisa pointed towards Rei's Spongebob cup, exclaiming, "That's my favourite cup! It's so fun to drink out of, isn't it?"

Rei blushed a bright red at the attention paid to him by the small boy, and nodded. Nagisa beamed at this and his father ruffled his hair affectionately. Haru smiled at Rei, whose blush had somewhat calmed down.

"Anyways, I'm really sorry about all the commotion earlier. It didn't wake you up, did it?" Makoto asked.

"It's fine. I wasn't asleep yet and Rei is a naturally light sleeper. Thank you for your hospitality, but I think we should be getting back. It is a school night." Haru stood up, as did Rei.

Makoto walked them out of his apartment.

"See you tomorrow, then?" Makoto asked, to which Haru gave a small nod and bid goodnight.

Indeed they saw each other the next day, when they were both on the way to send their kids to school.

"Morning, Haru; Rei-kun." Makoto greeted the two as Haru was locking up the door to his apartment. Haru turned to face Makoto to be greeted by another one of Makoto's smiles.

"Morning, Uncle Haru; Rei-chan!" Nagisa chirped from next to his father's leg.

"Morning Makoto; Nagisa." Haru murmured, but it was apparently loud enough for the Tachibanas to hear as both their faces split into huge grins.

"Uncle Haru," Nagisa got Haru's attention by pulling on his pant leg, "is Rei-chan going to my school?"

"I've registered Nagisa at the school near the park about two blocks away. I have a friend who works there so I figured why not?"

"Rei goes to that school."

"That's great, Rei-chan! We could be best friends!" Nagisa cried, happily engulfing Rei with a bear hug that was surprisingly strong for his size and age. Rei sputtered uncomfortably until Makoto chastised his son to pull away.

"Sorry about that, Rei-kun. Nagisa can be a little over affectionate sometimes, can't you, huh, you little monster?" Makoto picked Nagisa up and tickled the boy's belly, causing him to erupt into a fit of giggles.

"Stop da-ahahahahahahaha- daddy st-ahahahaha!"

"Okay, okay. But come on, we'll be late." Makoto helped Nagisa climb onto his shoulders, while Rei settled for holding Haru's hand.

The walk to the kindergarten was uneventful, save for Nagisa's incessant chatter about anything and everything.

("Rei-chan, isn't my penguin backpack the coolest!?")

("Daddy, can I have ice cream after school?")

("Actually, daddy, I want pancakes.")

("I change my mind, daddy. I want cupcakes.")

("Daddy can Rei-chan play at our house today?")

To which Makoto responded with a, "sure, if it's okay with Uncle Haru and Rei."

"It's fine. Rei can go over." "Sure, I'll come over Nagisa-kun."

They arrived at the kindergarten twenty minutes later, and Makoto found his friend, Aiichirou, waiting outside.

"Makoto! And look how Nagisa-kun has grown up!" Aiichirou said to Makoto and Nagisa as he approached the group of four.

"Oh, Nanase-san, you know Makoto?" Aiichirou asked, curious as to why his friend was with his student's father.

"My new neighbour."

"How'd you know Haru, Ai?"

"Rei-kun is in my class. Which Nagisa-kun will be joining as well!" Aiichirou said, taking Nagisa and Rei's hand in either of his own.

"Oh, and Makoto, there's some paperwork for you to fill, but I assuming you'll be filling it up on the way out."

"Yup. Thanks, Ai." Makoto waved off, and headed back with Haru to their apartment complex.

They parted ways at the building, Haru going back to his office to continue his design, and Makoto to the car park, and off to work.

Haru welcomed the change just one morning with Makoto and Nagisa had brought.

Rei now had a playmate and a _friend_, which he knew was hard for his son to make. He was quiet, serious and often stoic, uncannily like Haru; it was a wonder Rei was adopted.

Haru often worried about his son. He was quiet, and not very social, just like himself as a child. He had found solace in the water, often times spending more time swimming or in the bath, than anywhere else. He had made one lifelong friend in his childhood, during swimming lessons, so he had survived.

Rei, however, was not so lucky in the way Haru was- he didn't have a hobby, nor any apparent interests. Haru was thinking of enrolling him in swimming school for two reasons: he genuinely felt that it was important for Rei to learn how to swim and he wanted Rei to make more friends. He hated seeing Rei be lonely when he could do something about it.

He decided to stop by the swimming club on the way back from the kindergarten.

Around 5:30, he headed for the kindergarten. Walking quietly, he thought on how he would break the news to Rei.

He hoped his son would take it well.

He knew Rei didn't take to well to sudden changes, especially so if the change was something he disliked. Delving deeper into thoughts about his son, he didn't notice a silver sedan pull up beside him. The driver's window lowered, and it revealed Makoto, but he was wearing glasses, and bore a tired smile.

"Haru, would you like a lift?" He asked.

"Thanks." Haru got into the passenger seat, and Makoto drove towards the kindergarten.

"We can give you a ride back too if you want," Makoto offered kindly, drumming his hands on the steering wheel.

"Actually, I'll be taking Rei to the swim club. I'm thinking of registering him for classes."

"What a coincidence!" Makoto laughed. Haru decided he quite liked the sound of Makoto's laugh; it was light and easy, not to mention extremely pleasant on his ears.

"I was going to register Nagisa too. He swam back in our old town, and he liked it so much, so I decided to put him back into swimming school."

Haru smiled. Anyone who liked swimming and water was given a tick in his book.

Makoto parked at the kindergarten's adjoining parking lot, and the two fathers got out of the car. He locked the car, and walked beside Haru towards the school building.

"Haru, I've got to go fill up some paperwork, so just wait for me here, okay?" They parted ways at the lobby- Makoto went to the school office and Haru to Rei's classroom.

"Papa!" Rei greeted brightly, running up and hugging his father's legs.

"Uncle Haru! Uncle Haru! Do you know where my daddy is?" Nagisa came up to him and Rei, with his penguin backpack already strapped on, ready to go home.

"In the office, Nagisa-kun. He's filling up some paperwork. We're all going somewhere together, so shall we wait for him at the lobby?" Haru suggested.

Nagisa nodded, while Rei looked at him questioningly. He took both of their hands, as Nagisa led them to the lobby.

Makoto was walking towards the lobby just as Haru, Rei and Nagisa were approaching it.

"Oh, Haru! You got Nagisa as well; thanks." He smiled and picked Nagisa up.

"How was your first day of school, champ?"

"Great! Daddy I made _so _many friends, but my favourite friend is Rei-chan for sure! Rei-chan showed me around today, and did you know daddy, Rei-chan is a really good painter? He painted a pretty butterfly today during art time, right Rei-chan?" Nagisa nearly tumbled out of his father's arms trying to look over at Rei.

"It was supposed to be beautiful, Nagisa-kun." Rei mumbled sullenly.

"And I'm sure it was, Rei. Other people have different ways of saying things are pretty, Rei," Haru told his son, trying not to dampen his spirits too much. He felt a tug on his pant leg, and saw Rei looking up at him expectantly; he lifted the boy into his arms.

"Daddy, you said we were going somewhere, right?" Rei asked into Haru's shoulder.

"We are. We're going to get you guys registered at the swimming club."

"Swimming? That doesn't sound beautiful, daddy."

"Swimming is very beautiful, Rei. Just ask Nagisa." Haru suggested, not liking his son's reaction.

They had reached the car, and Makoto buckled Nagisa in while Haru buckled Rei in.

After all was settled, the group of four set off. Sometime during the journey, Haru watched ,through the rear view mirror, as Rei tugged on Nagisa's shorts hesitantly. The blond boy stopped his never-ceasing chatter and looked at Rei questioningly.

"Nagisa-kun, i-is swimming fun?" Rei asked nervously, looking at his small hands folded on his lap.

"Oh, Rei-chan, swimming is _so fun_! Being in the water is unlike anything else, Rei-chan!" Nagisa declared brightly, his hands waving around for added dramatic flair. Haru noticed how Rei seemed to deflate a little in relief; his little body seemed less taught and his hands stopped wringing nervously.

When they arrived at the swimming club, Makoto parked the car, and opened the door for both Nagisa and Rei, who scrambled out through Nagisa's door before Haru could open his. Nagisa seemed to notice Rei's discomfort towards swimming return, so he grasped Rei's hand in his own.

"Don't worry, Rei-chan! Swimming is fun!" Nagisa assured Rei with a bright smile, which seem to mirror itself on his father's face. Makoto was smiling warmly at Rei- this was Makoto's full smile, Haru saw once yesterday, where his eyes would shut and his mouth would curve upwards pleasantly, and decided he liked quite a lot.

"Rei, you might not really enjoy swimming now, but given time I'm sure you will warm up to it, okay?" Haru squeezed his son's hand for good measure.

Moving past the automated doors in the swimming club, Makoto and Haru strode up to the reception desk. A pretty lady with brown hair and amber eyes turned around to face them.

"Hello, can I help you gentlemen?" She asked Makoto and Haru, looking at the two.

Makoto spoke up for the both of them, "I'd like to register my son for swimming lessons and Haru would like to register his son too."

"Sure. You two both need to fill out our registration forms here," she handed each parent a form and a pen, "and sign at the bottom."

After they handed their forms back to the lady, she did a quick review of them.

"So, Tachibana Nagisa has already gone for prior lessons, while Nanase Rei hasn't. Would you like me to put them in the same class?"

"That'd be great, thanks!" Makoto said, smiling yet again, at Haru, who could only stare dumbfoundedly back.

"So is Saturday morning ten o'clock alright for you? The class is an hour long."

"That's fine, thanks."

"Saturday is fine, thank you."

"Thank you so much, sirs, and have a nice day!" She said as the group made their way out. Haru took Rei's right hand, while Nagisa took Rei's left. Makoto took his son's left hand, and they walked back to the car, with Nagisa singing the words to some song they were taught in school that day.

Makoto and Haru each buckled their children up in the car, and Makoto set off for the apartment complex once everyone was seated and had their seatbelts fastened.

"I guess this is where we part ways?" Makoto chuckled, before he and Haru turned to their respective doors and unlocked them.

"Goodnight Makoto; Nagisa-kun." Haru bid them before ushering Rei inside the apartment.

"You too, Haru; Rei-kun!" Makoto replied before both doors were shut for the night.

Haru went through his usual weekday routine with Rei- get him to take a bath, prepare and have dinner, read him a story and tuck him in, and before he knew it he was under his covers himself, ready to go to sleep.

That night, however, he felt different. The consuming, dark loneliness that had plagued him before reduced in the slightest. And for the first time, he fell asleep thinking of forest green eyes.


End file.
